SC rejects plea to register live-in relationships with govt, calls it ‘hare-brained’

The Supreme Court on Monday, March 20, junked a PIL seeking framing of norms for registration of every live-in relationship with the Union government, calling it a "hare-brained" idea. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud told the counsel, representing the petitioner, "What does the Centre have to do with registration of live-in relationships? What kind of hare-brained idea is this?"

The bench, also comprising Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, asked the petitioner's counsel if she wanted to foster security for such couples or if she did not want them to get into live-in relationships. The plea was filed by lawyer Mamta Rani. The petitioner's counsel submitted that the petitioner wanted the relationship to be registered, which would enhance their social security.

The bench said, "It is high time this court starts imposing costs on petitioners who file these kinds of PILs. Dismissed."

The plea had cited the recent killing of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala. The petitioner sought framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships.

The PIL contended that registration of live-in relationships would result in accurate information pertaining to both live-in partners about each other. The plea argued that it would help the government to know about them, including details regarding their marital status, criminal history, and other details.

The plea sought a direction to the Union government to formulate rules for registration of live-in relationships, claiming that there was a rise in reports of crimes such as rape and murder, allegedly committed by live-in partners.